Police verification for passports to be liberalised

NEDUMBASSERY: The Union Government has decided to liberalise police verification procedures for the issuance of passports, Union Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed said here on Saturday.

He was addressing a press conference near the Cochin International Airport here. The official gazette notification regarding this would be issued in the coming days, said Mr. Ahamed. As per the new arrangement, there would be no delay in issuing passports for want of police verification, which would be done after issuing the passports, he said.

Passports would be issued on presenting any three of the above-mentioned documents,of which at least one should bear the photo of the applicant, he said. It was also decided to issue passports to minor children whose parents did not possess passports, said Mr. Ahamed.

Professional bodies

It was decided that directors or partners of companies or institutions having membership with professional commercial organisations or chambers such as the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), and ASSOCHAM would be issued passports on being certified by the chairmen of these apex chambers. Employees of Government or Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) would be eligible for passports if certified by the heads of the undertakings. Procedures in connection with the issuance of passports under the Tatkal scheme had also been liberalised, said Mr. Ahamed.

According to the changes envisaged, the applicant on payment of Rs.1,500 or Rs.1,000 over and above the mandatory fee of Rs.1,000 would be issued passports within seven days and 14 days respectively. At present, an officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary at the Centre could certify for issuing Tatkaal passports. An officer of the rank of Under Secretary would now be able to certify, said Mr. Ahamed.